The present invention relates to the field of vehicle data communications and, more particularly, to data communications from a vehicle, such as a tractor or a trailer of a truck or an automobile, to a remote location, from a portion of a vehicle to other portions of the vehicle, from one vehicle to one or more other vehicles, or from a vehicle to a communications network.
Over the years, the vehicle industry and particularly the heavy duty vehicle industry has used tractor and trailer combinations to transport cargo over the roadways to various desired destinations. The tractors and trailer are conventionally mechanically coupled together so that the tractor efficiently and effectively pulls the trailer. Also, this mechanical coupling can often be an integral formed trailer with a tractor or cab region of a vehicle such as a pick-up truck, dump truck or other vehicle. Additionally, one or more other trailers can also be mechanically coupled to another trailer so that only one tractor or cab region pulls a plurality of trailers.
Various links between the tractor and the trailer provide vehicle subsystems, e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical, with power and/or control signals to operate effectively. These subsystem have associated electrical conductors, pneumatic lines, or hydraulic lines extending between the tractor and trailer(s) so that these subsystems can effectively operate.
Data communications between a tractor and trailer for these subsystems also has been developed. An example of this data communications can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,352 by Jasper titled “Communications And Control System For Tractor/Trailer And Associated Method” which is assigned to the common assignee of the present application. As described in this patent, the use of the Society of Automotive Engineering (“SAE”) standard J1708 titled “Serial Data Communications Between Microcomputer Systems In Heavy Duty Vehicle Applications” and SAE standard J1939 are also known for data communications in the heavy duty vehicle environment.
Only recently, however, has the vehicle industries, and particularly the heavy duty vehicle industries, begun to use sophisticated electrical electronic subsystems in and associated with these vehicles to perform varied task that usually involve data manipulation and transmission. Previously, computers, controllers, and computer-type electrical systems were simply not found in these vehicles, such as the tractor and trailer combinations or recreational vehicles, in a significant manner. Much of this previous slow or lack of development and advances could be attributed, for example, to the lack of governmental or other authoritative initiatives which would have otherwise required systems to be installed on these heavy duty vehicles to include sophisticated electronics and data communications.
Although only recently have advances been made with data communications in the vehicle industries, and particularly the heavy duty vehicle industry, many of the advances require extensive retrofitting or extensive additions to the vehicle. Accordingly, many vehicle owners have been hesitant to adopt and purchase sophisticated electronics and data communications because of the expense and uncertainty with the advances in the technology. Yet, having the capability to monitor and communicate with the various electronic subsystems of a vehicle such as a tractor-trailer truck, recreational vehicle, or automobile can be beneficial to the driver, the owner, governmental officials or agencies, and others having an interest in the vehicle industries.